Episode 201: Don Knotts
Kermit lets Fozzie help plan the show, and the band is so happy with Fozzie's scheduling of "Lullaby of Birdland" as the closing number that they elect him an honorary hip person. Floyd gives him a pair of shades, which cause Fozzie to stumble around in the dark for most of the episode. Unfortunately, Fozzie has asked Don Knotts to play bass for the closing. Disappointed by his ultimately explosive performance, the band votes to "de-shade" Fozzie. Songs/Sketches * "Sweet Gingerbread Man" (The Gingerbread Men) * "The Windmills of Your Mind" (Screaming Thing) * "Beast of the Week" sketch (Don, Mean Mama, and her baby) * Veterinarian's Hospital: Screaming Thing * UK Spot: "Burlington Bertie from Bow" (Burlington Bertie) * Talk Spot: Fozzie chats with Don about being hip. * "What a Wonderful World" (Rowlf) * The Swedish Chef: Fishie Chowder * "Lullaby of Birdland" (Don, The Electric Mayhem) Notes *As the first episode of season 2, this is the first episode with many of the notable changes in the production of the show in production order. The appearance of several main characters (Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo) is modified. The new version of the opening is first used in this episode, preceded by the first "Cold Opening" where Scooter interacts with the guest star prior to Kermit in the opening. Fozzie's joke is removed and an intervention of Statler and Waldorf is added. (In this first episode, the two old codgers come and sit down in the balcony, without any comment.) Gonzo uses now a trumpet instead of his mallet. *This is Richard Hunt's first performance as Janice. The episode also marks Jerry Nelson's full-time debut as the Announcer. *The first two songs performed in this episode were co-written by Alan and Marilyn Bergman, and Michel Legrand. The last two songs performed were co-written by George Weiss. *The first shot during the closing of this episode is a shot of Floyd, as opposed to a shot of Animal. *This episode seems to hint that the sketch "Something's Missing" was meant to be the sketch where "What a Wonderful World" was placed, with the two Muppets from the former leaving the stage after where it was intended to be. The sketch ultimately became the UK Spot in Episode 213: Rudolf Nureyev. *"Sweet Gingerbread Man" is the only song in the series in which Frank Oz is given the lead vocal on a song not sung by one of his regular characters. *"Windmills of Your Mind" is referred to as the opening number, even though "Sweet Gingerbread Man" aired before it. Episode Edits * Nickelodeon: The Swedish Chef's sketch was cut. Cast '''Muppets:' :Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Scooter, Rowlf, Statler and Waldorf, Dr. Teeth, Floyd Pepper, Zoot, Janice, Animal, The Swedish Chef, Gorgon Heap, The Gingerbread Men, Screaming Thing, Mean Mama, Mean Mama's Baby, Burlington Bertie Background Muppets: :Pigs, Fish, Whatnots, The Announcer (unseen) Audience Muppets: :Baskerville the Hound, Beautiful Day Monster, Brewster, Catgut, Miss Mousey, Pigs, Svengali's Assistant, Zelda Rose Performers :Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog, Dr. Teeth, Rowlf, Waldorf, The Swedish Chef and a Gingerbread Man :Frank Oz as Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, Animal and lead Gingerbread Man :Jerry Nelson as Floyd Pepper, Screaming Thing, Gorgon Heap, Burlington Bertie, a Gingerbread Man and the Announcer :Richard Hunt as Scooter, Janice, Statler, Mean Mama, and a Gingerbread Man :Dave Goelz as Zoot and a Gingerbread Man Gallery Image:Jim_Henson03.jpg Image:Donknotts.jpg External links *Falk, Karen. "Jim Henson's Red Book", 5/25/1977 - Don Knotts (MS) __NOWYSIWYG__ 201